Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution

Title: Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution
Author: Bernie Sanders
First Published: August 29, 2017
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Pages: 240
Genre: Non-Fiction, Politics, Young Adult
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Rating:


Synopsis:

In the Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution, Independent congressman, presidential candidate and activist Bernie Sanders continues his fight against the imbalances in the nation’s status quo, and shows you how to make a difference to effect the changes America—and the world—need to create a better tomorrow.

Throughout the Presidential campaign, Senator Bernie Sanders promised voters a future to believe in through his progressive platform and a vision for America worth fighting for. This vision calls for an economic, environmental, health care, and social justice revolution beyond the stagnant agendas of Democrat and Republican politicians to build an equitable future for all Americans—especially the younger generation that will inherit the consequences of decisions made now.

Inside this practical and inspiring guide to effecting change in today’s world, you’ll learn how to:
· Understand and navigate the current system of policy and government
· Work to change the system to reflect your values and to protect our society’s most vulnerable
· Organize for the causes you care about most
· Resources for further reading and organizations to get involved with

With more than two decades of Washington D.C. insider knowledge and experience, Senator Sanders knows how to fight and change the system from within, a system desperately in need of reform in health care, immigration, taxes, higher education, climate change, and criminal justice.

The political revolution is just beginning. What role will you play?

Get the Book: Amazon

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Review

Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution is an interesting little book, it’s a primer for Bernie’s political ideology as well as a starter’s guide on getting involved in politics. You don’t necessarily have to agree with Bernie’s stances to appreciate this book as an introduction to political engagement, something that is sorely lacking in the American educational system. Normally when I see books discussing politics they are either academic texts that can be a little intimidating to approach or politician memoirs. In contrast, this book outlines ways to mobilize and speak out on different issues.

Each chapter is dedicated to a specific issue that tread familiar ground, and anyone that has ever heard one of his speeches won’t find much new here. He covers everything from big banks and the economy to global warming. He explains each of these social issues in a way that is easy to digest and provides a glossary at the back of the book explaining political and economic terms, such as 401(K)s, Equity Funds, and Tax Havens. At the end of each chapter are sections that provide website sources for those wanting to learn more about a specific issue including government websites or links to insightful articles written by leaders in science and economics. There are how-to guides on how to do things such as calling one’s state representatives to voice your thoughts on different issues, or on how and which charities to donate to in order to help various causes.

The book is also designed really well, filled to the brim with info graphics that are eye catching. I thought that they really illustrate some of the points that he makes and it was a definite highlight. The book is also well cited with references to numerous studies.

Now I do have a few critiques, one of which is the inclusion of a bunch of Bernie’s tweets which just seem silly and, in 2025, quite dated. There are also a lot of statistics which will severely date the book as numbers change over time. I found the occasional note on where to find updated statistics in some of the end of chapter resource sections but it doesn’t cover every section, and there are a lot of stats in this book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I was really happy to find that this book really was a well thought out and detailed “how to” guide presented in a way that isn’t overwhelming. Even folks that utterly disagree with Bernie’s political ideology could probably get some use out of the end of chapter guides and sources. It’s good to see a book written specifically for teens that doesn’t talk down to them. The central message of the book is on the importance of young adults, being America’s future voters, knowing the issues and knowing their rights as citizens on how they can change the country in ways that would benefit their generation, rather than letting older generations control the trajectory of their future.

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